Levy Fails to Pass

Voters in Ada and Canyon County within the Kuna School District voted down a continuation of the 2-year supplemental levy for $3.19 million additional funding.

Levies on the ballot for all other Treasure Valley schools were approved with Kuna the only one failing to pass. Canyon County voted 154-109 against while those in Ada County voted 989-941 against. The levy lost by just 93 votes.

Residents within the Kuna School District should see their property taxes revert to pre-levy levels as the election was for a continuation of the levy, not an additional one.

“We will move forward in continuing to plan next year’s budget in a responsible and prudent manner,” explained Superintendent Wendy Johnson.

The school district issued a statement saying, “This no vote means that parents, students, and staff can expect major changes in day-to-day operations of the district. Some of these changes may include reduced school days and larger class sizes because of loss of staff as well as other cuts to programs. The district will be forming a committee of staff members and community members to work through potential reductions.”

On an informational page on the district’s website such measures may include any or all of the following: cutting funding to extra-curricular activities making them self-sufficient, reducing the numbers of teachers by 40 district-wide and a reduction of the number of school days in the calendar year.

fnfal, if you’re talking about student aides, they don’t make much more than the minimum wage as it is. If you mean administration, Kuna already has one of the lowest ratios of administration to students in the state; several administrators manage more than one school. Pay is lower as well. In any event, you can’t make up an 11% budget shortfall by voluntary salary reductions.